Cover for the dials of instruments and the like



D. B. BROWNE EI'AL COVER FO R THE `DIALSAOF' INSTRUMENTS AND THE LIKEFiled Feb. 9, 1945 sheets-sneu 1 A Jn mi TA v. lm

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ll i l y Trap/vifs D. B. BROWNE ET AL COVER FOB THE DIALS 0F INSTRUMENTSAND THE LIKE July 1o, 1945.

Filed Feb. 9, 1945 2 sheets-'sheet 2 1Patented `I1-ily 10,1245 V 1 iUNITED \"'sil\irss PATENT' oFFlcEf t Ycoviui Foa 'rgNnlilgEmsrnmmnlrs Yi l Appueetien Febmery's, 194s, sei-n1 No. 576,946 In Greet neuemNevember 1, 1943 3 claims. (c1. 'n n-431) This inventionA has referenceto improvements to the forward end and in advance of the position incovers for the dials of instruments and the to be occupied by the clockface E with a plurallike. ity of gapped portions 5a constituting windowIt is a known practice in connection with inapertures andthe front ofthis casing 5 is adapted struments and the like, especially when theseare Vto be closed by a cover which is designated genmounted in a panel,to provide for a better illu- 5 erally'by the reference numeral 1. Thiscover 1 mination of a dial by the employment of side is constitutedY bya moulding preferably made lighting through the medium of windowslocated from a transparent synthetic plastic material in that portion`ofthe wall of a casing which is which incorporates a slightly domedfront seclocated in front of and which surrounds a dial. tion 1a forcovering the clock face 6 and a rear- The methods heretofore adapted forside wardly extending annular flange 1b the diameter lighting? havenecessitated the provision of sevof which is such that the said flangey1b is a pusheral diiierent parts thus adding to the cost of nt withinthe front of the casing 5. `Adjacent to manufacture and assembly and theconstructions the junction of the front section 1a and of the employedhave been favourable to the ingress of ange 1b there is provided a lip1cand the depth moisture and/or dust into the interior of the of the-iiange 1b is such that when the iiange 1b casing and the presentinvention has for its object .is pushed into the casing 5 until the datunderthe provision 'of an improved cover for the dials side of the saidlip Ic abuts an outwardly turned of instruments and the like whichadmits of fside iiange 5b at the front of the casing the flange 1blighting but which is not subject to the objeccovers the windowapertures 5a with its rim contions aforesaid. 20 tained in a plane whichis spaced slightly in front According to the invention the improvedcover of the clock face 6 as is clearly indicated in for the dials ofinstruments and the like is char- Figure 2. acterised by the formationof the front as an in- The cover 1 is held in position by a bezel 8 thetegral unitary structure incorporating a transinner edge 8a of whichbears on the marginal parent section for covering the front of a dialportion of the front section 1a whilst the outer and arearwardlydirected transparent or translusection is turned inwardly as at 8b toengage cent hanged section adapted tobe associated with belowtheoutwardly turned flange 5b at the front the casing so as -to providein'conjunction with of the casing 5.

gapped portions of the casing the means for ef- In the modificationillustrated in Figure-3 the l fecting a side lighting of a dial. lip 1cis dispensed with and the extent to which f The invention-.will now bedescribed with parthe flange 1b is required to be -pushed within thelticular reference to the accompanying drawings casing 5 is determined byinwardly projectlng which illustrate the invention in its applicationtongues 5c which are pierced out of the annular to a cover for aclock-adapted for mounting in wallof the casing 5.

the instrument panel of a vehicle or aircraft. According to theembodiment of the'invention In the drawings: illustrated in Figure 4,instead of employing a Figure 1 is a view in vertical section Aof oneseparate bezel lil the cover 1 is provided withv an rembodiment of theinventionwlth.the-several i outstanding circumferentialportion 8c whichis parts shown separately and indicating the posi- 40 shaped to conformto the shape o f the convention occupied by the clock face; tional bezeland the extent to Which the ange Figure 2 is a fragmentary viewinvertical sec- 1b is required to b pushed within the casing 5 tion withthe parts illustrated in Fig. 1 in the' v-j obtains when the base of"the bezel-shaped 'p0rassembled condition;

' Figure 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but illustrat- 45' the front ofthe casing 5. 7lIf desired the bezeltion 8c. abutsthe outwardly-turnedflange'bat, Y

ing a modification of the'embodiment ofthe inshaped'portion 8c may bepainted or plated ,fto'V vention as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, andheighten the illusion that 'a `standard bezel is Figure 4 is afragmentary view generally simemployed. i e

- ilar to Figs. 2 and 3 but illustrating another em- 1f desired,although not illustrated, the cover 1 bodiment of the invention. 50 maybe'sealed in position by"adhesives or em- .1

ALilie numerals of reference indicate Similar ployed in conjunctionWi'th Sealing'rings.

parts in the several views. It will be appreciated that as a cover y1 asheree" Describing iirstly the-embodiment of the inveninbefore describedisy an integral unitary struction asillustratedin Figures 1 and 2..v vture the number of parts-required for instru-` The casingi of the clockis provided adjacent- 'ments and the like which `are desired to have a`transparentiront and side lighting is reduced to a minimum relatively tocurrent practice thus lowering the cost of manufacture and of assembly.Furthermore, the improved front cover l is a better protection againstthe ingress of moisture and/or dust.

Although the invention has been described in `its application to aclock, Ai1; w111 be understood that the invention is equally applicableto other instruments suchas petrol gauges, oil gauges, ammeters,thermometers, speedometers and the like and that although the inventionis particularly suited for use with instrumentsv which are intended to-be mounted in a panel, the .invention is also capable of application toother in- `strunients, for example, as a cover for the dials voiweighing apparatus.

We claim: i

1. A casing for a measuring instrument comprising a cup-shaped bodywhich has an apertured lateral wall portion of opaque material near themouth of said cup-shaped bodyand which is adapted to receive a dialbelow said apertured portion, the lower part of said body being devoidof external lateral projections whereby it may be inserted into aninstrument panel through an opening of a configuration corresponding tothe `general contour of said lower part, and an inlverted'cup-shapedcover secured to said body and closing its mouth,I said cover includinga transparent base and a transparent side wall portion which extendsbelow and snugly fits said apertured lateral wall portion, whereby thecasing is substantially sealed against ingress of moisture .and dustbetween said body and cover and whereby light from a source Without thecasing may pass through said lateral and side wall portions to the dialand be reflected therefrom through said base.

2. A casing for a measuring instrument comprising a cup-shaped bodywhichfhasa lateral wall portion formed of opaque material and providedwith one or more apertures near the mouthV of said body and which isadapted to receivea dial below the apertures, said body being devoid ofexternal lateral surface projections whereby it may be inserted into aninstrument panel through an opening of a conguration corresponding tothe general contourof said body, a transparent inverted cup-shaped coverclosing the mouth of said body, said cover including a side wall portionwhich snugly fits said lateral wall portion and extends about theapertures, whereby the casing is substantially sealed against ingress ofmoisture and dust between vsaid body and cover and u whereby light froma source without the casing may pass through said lateral and side wallportions to the dial and bey reected therefrom through the base of saidcoyer, and meansy for maintaining said cover in position relative tosaidl Ibody. o

3. A casing for a measuring instrument comprising a cup-shaped body ofopaque `material having aperipheral iiange at its mount and a lateralwall portion formed with one or more apertures, said body being adaptedto receive a dial below the apertures, an inverted cup-shaped coverclosing the mouth of said body, said cover having a transparent base anda transparent lside wall portion within said body, said side wallportion snugly fitting said lateral' wall portion andy extending aboutthe apertures, whereby the casing is substantially sealed againstingress oi rmoisture and dust between said body and cover Y' and wherebylight from a source without the-cas-

